Providing a computer system at the point of care enables access to information from a laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, or other locations away from the point of care where it is needed, at the point of care. The system of the present invention includes both manual and automatic patient data entry at the point of care to create an electronic record. The system permits caregivers to easily input chart data directly into the computer. In addition, the computer receives information automatically from various monitors and medical devices such as vital signs monitors, bed therapy systems, IV pumps, and the like. Therefore, all data related to the patient is captured at a single location (i.e., the point of care). The computer of the present system is designed to remain with the patient in the hospital room and during ambulation or transportation within the hospital. In other words, the computer may follow the patient wherever the patient goes from admit to discharge.
Providing a computer system at the point of care improves communication. Lab and radiology results are presented electronically to the ordering and consulting physicians at the point of care. The system of the present invention facilitates patient care by enabling the creation of virtual teams of caregivers who may never actually meet when caring for the patient. The system instantaneously captures information related to the patient as well as to laboratory and diagnostic procedures ordered for the patient.
In one embodiment, the system provides updated access to information and communication at the point of care. Patient data is stored in a memory of the point-of-care computer or in a main server coupled to the computer by a communication network. Access to all patient information is available to physicians, pharmacy, radiology, lab, cath lab, or any computer connected to the point-of-care computer through a communication network. Doctors or other caregivers at remote locations can view information related to the patient by accessing the computer associated with the patient or the main server through the communication network. In other words, each computer functions as a node on the network, and can access information from other nodes. The present computer system also functions to capture costs of services and supplies, and to transmit the cost information to, for example, a hospital accounting department for billing purposes. Therefore, the system can determine the actual cost of providing services and treatments to the patient, as well as the costs of medication and other supplies used by the patient.
In one embodiment, the computer system of the present invention uses a wireless data receiver to receive signals from badges on the caregiver and the patient and from tags on equipment, medication, a medication lock container located within the hospital room, or other supplies. These signals identify the people or things with which they are associated. The system may also include an input device such as touch sensitive display, a hand pad, a keyboard or a bar code reader to receive these identification signals.
The system of the present invention may be used with the COMposer® communication system available from Hill-Rom Company of Batesville, Ind. Some details of the COMposer® system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,561,412, 5,699,038, and 5,838,223, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
In one embodiment of the invention, the computer system is used for monitoring the administration of medication to a patient. The patient prescription information is entered into the hospital communication network. Therefore, the patient's name and associated medication dosage schedule are accessible by the computer in the patient's room. When the pharmacy fills a prescription, the medication is placed in a locked medical container and transported to the patient's room. When the nurse brings the locked medical container to the patient's room, the computer system first identifies the patient by receiving an identification signal from the patient via an RFID tag, a bar code, a transmitter badge, or some other device for providing a unique identification signal associated with the patient. The system then determines whether the patient is due for medication. If so, the system receives identification information from the nurse in a similar manner. If the nurse is not authorized to administer the medication, access to the locked medical container is denied. If the nurse is authorized, then the locked medical container is scanned or otherwise sensed by the computer to determine whether the medication contained therein matches the scheduled medication for the patient. If so, the locked medical container is opened. The medication in the container is then scanned or otherwise sensed by the computer to confirm that the medication is correct. A visual image of the medication is displayed on a display of the point-of-care computer so that the nurse can confirm that the medication is correct. If the medication is correct, then the nurse provides an input to the computer and the computer scans or otherwise senses the medication. The patient is billed for the medication at that time by the computer system. The computer may then prompt the nurse to indicate whether the patient held down the medication. If the patient did not hold down the medication, then the medication is not added to the patient's chart. If the patient held down the medication, then the system automatically adds the medication dosage and time of administration to the patient's chart.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following drawings in conjunction with the detailed description of the illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.